Hammer's Hard Knocks Vol #1

Question for you…

How much do you think having the front bumper tied off affects the handling?

 

Both statements are false. Sway can be induced by a number if factors. Hitch set-up, overloaded tongue, trailer too long for the TV, wind; either natural or caused by a larger vehicle passing and displacing air.

Often times, a little throttle is all that is needed to correct the sway, assuming it hasn't reached the point of no return. A four wheeler, if thinking straight, can even apply their brake controller to check sway.

This topic is discussed ad nauseum on major RV forums.

 

Ok

 

Another thing to consider with towing trailers in the four wheeler world is the tires. Most standard travel trailers are sitting on 6ply or 8 ply 15” tires that have very soft bouncy sidewalls that love to sway when over loaded. And they are always overloaded. On top of that most of the pickup tires from the factory are more performance oriented and do not have the proper load rated for that stuff. (Dodge and Ram are the worst for this). That jeep should never have been latched to that trailer in the first place with the tires it has on it.

 

Minimal, I think it keeps everything on the road but it doesn’t take away from the physics of it

 

I’m curious about the hitch setup question, trailer length is largely irrelevant as long as the weight distribution is correct. Air affecting the handling is in direct proportion to the balance of the trailer also.

 

On a bumper pull trailer you can have the ball set too high or too low...easy to spot. There's a huge difference in hitch quality across the many, many brands on the market. Most folks are taking weight off the front axle; not good.

Trailer length is absolutely not irrelevant as longer trailers can induce more sway, aka tail wagging. Trailer length must be matched to the TVs wheelbase as best as possible. A crew cab, long bed will tow better than a short box, regular cab.

I don't understand what you're trying to say in your last sentence. Air velocity and turbulence can affect a Trailer in many ways. If the TV and trailer set-up is wrong, those forces will be amplified.

 

Pivot point on that rig.

I would see that setup as behaving like a pup setup with the front trailer empty and the second trailer loaded heavy with a shifting load. Absolute worse case scenario. That’s beyond anything I’ve experienced. I see I was wrong. I appreciate your video.